Kernahan receives Dykstra Faculty Excellence award at UW-River Falls

September
22, 2016 -- Cyndi Kernahan, psychology professor and assistant dean for
teaching and learning in the College of Arts and Sciences at the
University of Wisconsin-River Falls, has been named the recipient of the
2016-17 Paul B. and Robert Dykstra Faculty Excellence Award.

"Cyndi presents an excellent example of the
application of high-impact practices that support our students both
educationally and in terms of professional development," said Travis
Tubre, professor and chair of the Psychology Department, in his
nomination letter.

The Dykstra award is designed to
support faculty research, creative and scholarly activity and is awarded
to a tenured or tenure-track faculty member who is either currently
involved in a project or has proposed a research, creative or scholarly
project.

"She exemplifies what a scholar should be," said
Tricia Davis, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, in her
nomination letter. "She is enthusiastic about her research, shows
dedication to scholarly work with undergraduate students, and is
committed to helping others engage in the scholarship of teaching and
learning. She is deeply passionate about good evidence and using the
scholarship of teaching to improve teaching/learning that I truly
believe that she deserves this recognition."

Kernahan, of River Falls, is a social psychologist, teaching Social
Psychology, the Psychology of Prejudice and Racism, Careers in
Psychology, and Senior Seminar. As a specialist in racism and prejudice,
she regularly conducts research (in collaboration with other faculty
and students) that examines the ways in which students learn and learn
best with respect to this controversial topic. She regularly publishes
articles and book chapters on the teaching of race.

Kernahan also coordinates a
number of faculty development programs for other instructors, including a
workshop for new faculty and for those teaching in the new First Year
Adventure program (for students in the College of Arts and Sciences).
She has an additional appointment at the UW System level as co-director
of the Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars program. In all of these
programs, Kernahan tries to help instructors think deeply about the
learning goals they have for their students and to construct
evidence-based solutions for teaching and learning challenges.